Noa
by Freddo the Amoeba
Summary: The untold story of the Roma girl who dreamed of her own country.Some spoilers for the FMA movie, obviously.Please R&R!Rated T, just in case.
1. All Those Little Secrets

Noa

"Come, Noa."

The girl of only nine years clung to her sister, Grici.

"**'I ask for nothing, only help as best as I can.'** That's what the sign says. Pinako is going to help you." A reassuring smile, although added in her mind was a small whisper. "I hope she is, at least."

"Niiji no wayeh grats, gaivahn, niiji no wayeh grats, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn..." She sang this slowly, softly. Quietly, Noa joined in.

"Niiji no wayeh grats, gaivahn, niiji no wayeh grats, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn, gaivahn..." Noa weakly smiled as her older sister sang an octive higher.

_Noa could remember the guitar, the clapping and chanting as Tyia, her oldest sister, twirled, the white dress making her skin glow and her smile shine even brighter. She even laughed merrily and joined in at one point, letting Tyia pick her up and swing her around._

_Then, suddenly, a sequence of images flashed around in her mind._

_Cough, cough, blood, a body, screams, DEATH, DEATH, DEATH!_

_She whimpered, eyes wide, and struggled to get out of Tyia's arms. Tyia let her go, concerned look on her face for a moment before she heard a whistle from the crowd and began dancing again. The violins played in perfect harmony, the claps and yells from the other Romas synchronized completely as they danced on the sides, singing in tune._

_Noa only watched, unshed tears blurring her vision._

_- - -_

_"Oh, make her be quiet, Tyia!" Grici complained, pointing an accusing finger at Noa. The rest of their friends and siblings left the shelter soon after._

_Noa was sobbing, inbetween screaming, "Death, death, death, death!"_

_Tyia opened her arms. Noa shrinked away, crying even more._

_"I SEE DEATH WHEN YOU TOUCH ME!" She shrieked._

_A gasp from Tyia. Silence._

_There she stood, her oldest sister, eyes wide with shock. "H-how did you know?" She whispered._

_"I don't know! I saw blood... and.. coughing." Noa fell to the ground, clutching her face in fear of what she had seen earlier._

_"Noa... you.. saw.." Tyia took a pause inbetween each word, shakily. "I.. have.. tu-"_

_A cough. Noa looked up when she heard a choking sound, and something spilling onto the floor._

_Dark glossy red puddles. THUMP._

_"Ty-" Noa stared at her sister._

_The images._

_**DEATH, DEATH, DEATH!**_

_"TYIAA!" Noa screamed, the soft patter of rain falling on the roof mixing with it._

Noa and Grici stopped singing as they reached the apartment.

"Allright, go on," She cooed, patting Noa's back with one hand and stroking her hair with the other.

Noa smiled nervously, a facade for the complete feeling of dread that poked around her stomach.

"It's okay!" Grici giggled, nudging her sister. "Mrs. Rockbell is nice. She helped me when I was sick. And her daughter is nice, too. I actually think she's about your age."

Noa nodded slightly, although uncertain. She just wanted to be fixed and get out of there, so she wouldn't see pain or death anymore.

"Noa.." Grici warned, looking down.

".. Okay!" Noa whined. She knocked on the wooden door, then put her hands behind her back, waiting for an answer...


	2. Abandoned

Chapter 2

A knock on the door roused Pinako Rockbell, who was softly correcting her granddaughter on the art of sculpting.

At 9 years of age, Winry Rockbell was, let's say, a sponge at a beach. She loved everything about sculptures; observing human nature and reproducing it in stone.

Pinako smiled as she watched Winry beam with excitement at the start of her first sculpture: Den, their dog. "Okay, Granny!" She would wriggle with joy every time her grandmother said something, blue eyes sparkling, blonde hair flipping as she vigorously turned back towards Den.

Pinako waddled up to the door, readjusting her gray hair in the strange bun-shape it was held tightly in. Coal eyes danced with wisdom and contentment. She opened the door, to find Grici and Noa standing there.

"Gyp-" Pinako cut Winry off and said cheerfully, "Grici! How nice of you to stop by. What can I do for you?"

Grici nudged her younger sister forward.

"I'm Noa," She said quietly.

"I'm Pinako, Noa. It's nice to meet you."

Noa only let a "hm" escape her throat at the introduction.

Grici laughed nervously. "She's shy." Pause. "Well, I guess I should tell you what her problem is, right?"

"It's not a problem," Noa whispered.

"She has powers."

Pinako's thin eyebrow raised. "Powers?" Grici nodded.

"She claims to be able to tell the future, to look into people's hearts when touched by them." Grici frowned. "We were hoping you could help to cure her of this sickness."

"It ISN'T a sickness."

"Noa's right, Grici," Pinako said calmly. "Things like this have no need to be cured. Perhaps we can work something out.."

"PLEASE!"

Grici fell to her knees, hands clamped together. "She killed our sister."

Noa's eyes widened. "No.."

"Tyia died. You and your cries of 'death, death, death' killed her!"

"NO!" Noa's eyes blurred with tears.

"PLEASE, Pinako, help her!" Grici turned to her sister. "Why are you denying it, Noa?" She hissed. "She DIED because of you."

"NO, NO, NO!" Noa screamed. "I DIDN'T-"

She stopped as Grici spun on her heel.

"Wait, where are you going!" Noa cried.

"You're staying here." Grici looked at Pinako. "Find her a home; nobody wanted her anyways." And with that, she left, delivering a kick to her younger sister as Noa groped around for her leg, blinded by tears.

Silence swallowed up the hallway.

Noa stared at the spot where her sister once was; Pinako's eyes lowered to the ground.

"She.." Noa's voice broke the silence.

"You poor child.."

Noa curled up into a ball, shaking with sobs. She began to whisper Kelas, oblivious to the world around her. "Gaivahn..."

She only looked up with wide eyes at Pinako when she rushed over and touched the Roma's shoulder.

After some time, she backed away.

"You can stay with us!" Winry said. She appeared in the doorway after hearing 'tell the future.' This girl was only her age, yet she had so much more knowledge!

"Yes.." Pinako smiled warmly. She gently grabbed Noa's shoulders and wrapped her into a hug. Noa still cried as they found a blanket and escorted her into the apartment.


	3. Sisters

heyy, elora he-ah! ;o

i hope you guys like the story so far. i LOVE writing it.

yes, i've been known to start stories and not finish them, but i will TRY in all of my power to finish this one! D

well, if you write reviews.

enjoy chapter 3 of Noa!

-x-x-x-x-x-

Noa

Chapter 3

The time she spent with Pinako and Winry(7 years) was nice; she liked having a home, a place where she belonged. She helped Pinako do chores, and she would sing for Winry like a big sister, even though she was the same age.

They were both 14 now.. they knew so much more, and yet were still quite like children.

One night, the two were going through the same routine, when a question suddenly popped into the Roma's head.

"Winry.." She stared with wide brown eyes, "Where are your mom and dad?"

Winry's blue eyes suddenly trailed down to the floor.

"Granny says.. they went somewhere else. That they won't ever come back." Winry let out a small sigh. "I wish they could, but Granny says so, and I believe her."

Noa nodded sympathetically.

"My mom and dad are gone, too; I lived with my sisters and brothers until.." She trailed off.

"I know," Winry said. She took Noa's hand. "But we're sisters, right?" A bright smile. "We can live with Granny, without our parents. We'll be stronger."

The edges of Noa's lips twitched faintly, and it soon grew into a happy smile, showing her teeth.

Winry laughed.

"What?" Noa asked.

"It's just.. I've never seen you smile like that."

Noa giggled. "I never have."

Winry smiled warmly, like Pinako.

Noa loved that smile so much; for 6 years she tried to figure out who it reminded her of.

That night she remembered.

"Tyia," She quietly said.

"What?" Winry blinked.

"You remind me of Tyia." Winry blushed a little, knowing it was quite a compliment to be compared to Noa's favourite sister.

"Thanks," She giggled.

"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true." With that, she gave Winry a hug, whispered, "Good night, sister," Into her ear, and walked out of the room, leaving Winry beaming.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Noa saw nothing but happiness when she gave Winry a hug.. she felt so secure in Winry's heart. Joy, bubbling joy, was building up in her heart, like a stream spilling over.

Sometimes when she leaned her head against Pinako, a wave of sadness rushed into her mind. She then would quietly say, "It's okay," and snuggle closer to her guardian. Then again, Winry had her sad moments, too.

She would look at a photograph, worn and the colour of parchment, of two people, smiling at each other, and Noa would grab her hand.

The sequence of images she was so used to, a baby, two people walking away while Pinako stared with sad eyes, and sometimes before they called each other sisters Noa could hear soft sobbing coming from Winry's room.

Noa smiled more often.. when she walked into the small dining room in the morning she was beaming with happiness, while Pinako gave her amused glances and Winry whirled around with her newest sculpture.

"Isn't it great?" She would ask, stars in her eyes, shoving it into Noa's face.

Noa would laugh, and push it slightly away to get a better look. She would then put on a falsetto voice. "Why yes, darling, it is!" All three would start laughing.

This is how it went on for so long; this perfect life, until something changed forever...


	4. Guilt

sorry for not updating in a while. school, dance, and pure laziness. xD; well, i hope you like the chapter.

Oh, and **disclaimer: psh. if i OWNED full metal alchemist, would i be writing FANfiction?**

**only the characters that i've made up are mine, and frankly i don't care if anyone uses them or not. ;**

Noa

Chapter 4

"Noa, there's a package for you!"

Pinako's raspy voice called out for the Roma girl, who was 16 now. She left Winry's room with a blank expression on her face, and a sigh.

"It says it's from Grici... oh, there isn't a last name."

"Wait, Grici?" She asked quietly.

Pinako nodded. Noa snatched the package, and tore it into a thousand pieces, literally. Her eyes widened in surprise as she pulled up a dress..

It was white, and flowed down to the floor. She stared, and then whispered, "But this.. is.."

Pinako's eyebrows raised. "What's wrong, Noa?"

"N-nothing, Granny." She brought the dress to her nose and inhaled deeply, and quietly added, "Sister..." with wide eyes.

"I don't believe you." She sighed.

"Well, then don't!" She suddenly cried out, grabbing her coat and running out of the door.

Pinako only followed Noa with her eyes as she ran away. She knew where her adopted daughter was going; she went there often times before. With a sigh, she looked out across the street sadly.

There it was.

Tombstones lay in front of her; memorials of the dead. She walked through the graveyard, fingers tracing names and seeing visions of their deaths, of crying people.

Why did she have this, this curse, this damn.. **thing?**

She felt a lone tear fall from her face. She wiped it away furiously, searching for why she came here. "All I see is sadness," She whispered. "Sadness, and death, and screaming, and evil. This world is horrible."

She stopped as her eyes grazed over the letters on the tombstone.

_Winry Rockbell_

_1900-1916_

She fell to her knees, letting out a small whimper. She needed to see her again, her happiness. She firmly grasped the tombstone with both hands, squeezing her eyes shut.

_"Winry, Winry!" Eyes wide with fear, Pinako yelled her name. She grabbed her granddaughterby the shoulders and flung her around, desperate for a response. "WINRY, DAMMIT, SAY SOMETHING!" _

_Tears. More tears._

_So many tears, and screams._

_And, yet, Noa refused to come out of her room. Chocolate eyes glanced around sadly._

_"Winry, Winry, Winry," Pinako whispered, shaking her head in disbelief._

_-x-x-x-_

_"She was poisoned," The doctor said solemnly. "Possibly by something she ate, or maybe it was intentional." He quietly added, "Or maybe it was a neighbor who doesn't like those damn gypsies."_

_Pinako grabbed his collar, eyes filled to the brim with fury. "NOBODY WOULD HURT HER!" She then slammed Noa's door, and sternly said, "Stay in there."_

_Noa heard yells, then a cry, then, "If you can't tell me who did this, GET OUT!"_

_"I'm sorry, Miss, I'm a doctor.. not a detective."_

_Footsteps, and a sob._

From that point on, it wasn't that Noa had to be quiet as much as she chose to. Every time Pinako offered her something, she refused it politely, saying, "I'm only a guest here, I don't deserve anything fancy."

The day she turned seventeen, Noa looked out of the window.

Lazy, teasing winter days, where the sun shines brightly.

She hated these kinds of days, but she couldn't stay here anymore.

And, so she stuffed everything she owned into a bag, and scribbled down a note.

_Dear Granny,_

_I'm sorry I'm just leaving like this, but I can't stay here anymore. It's my fault that Winry died, isn't it? I don't want you in danger, either._

_Thank you for everything you've done... I'll miss and remember you always._

_Love,_

_Noa._

She placed the note gingerly onto the table, and began to walk out.

She opened the door to find Pinako standing there, hand advancing on the doorknob.

"N-Noa!" She smiled. "Hi."

Noa's face only crinkled up and she pushed past her, letting out a choked sob. She ran out of the building and onto the cold streets of Munich, sobbing.

Pinako tried following, but realized that she would never be able to find her. She looked around in distress, and looked at the note.

After scanning through it, a small tear ran down her cheek, but soon multiplied. She sat down and quietly cried, head buried in her arm. "N-" She couldn't bring herself to say the name.

The name of the daughter who left.

-x-x-x-

Footsteps crunched in the snow as she cried, going as far as she could.

She soon came to an open road. Advancing down it was a cart; it was spacious, and there were other Romas there. They spotted her, and waved, smiling.

She weakly smiled, a mere facade of what she was actually feeling at the moment.

She saw one of the Romas laugh and hit the driver of the cart on the head, and he smiled, beckoning her over. She inched towards it, and then increased to a trot. She stepped onto the cart and watched the scenery as it grew smaller.

"What's your name?" One asked.

"Noa," She replied, quietly.

"Nice to meet you, I'm-" The girl stopped. "Noa?"

"Yes?" She looked over at the girl, and her eyes widened.

"GRICI?" A nod. They exchanged waves awkwardly, and looked opposite ways as the cart rolled down the road.

"What's with them?" One giggled.

"...She's my... friend." Blank stares.

Noa's face crinkled up once again, but she refused to cry. _That's right, she isn't my sister anymore._

She sighed, bringing her knees to her chest.

_My sister is dead._


End file.
